Cookie

7

I shake my head instinctively, forgetting for a moment that we’re on the phone and he can’t actually see me. Realizing my mistake, I smack my forehead with my palm. Sometimes, I amaze even myself with how ridiculous I can be.

"It's a bad idea, Liam," I say, sighing. "She'll lose her mind if she finds out."

"And why would we care?" His tone is casual, as if this whole situation is no big deal. "It’s not like we’re doing anything wrong. We’re just friends..."

"Why do you want to be my friend so badly?" I ask, shifting into a more comfortable position on the couch.

"I already told you—I like you. I can't even explain why, but I feel this weird need to talk to you, to be around you. I've never felt this way with anyone before. Ever since this morning, when you blushed over that stupid joke, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I want to get to know you, Cookie. Is that such a bad thing?"

His words make me smile, reminding me of the warmth he stirred inside me earlier today.

"No, it’s not," I admit. "I just... I planned to keep my head down this year. I don’t want Tiffany to think I’m actually trying to steal her boyfriend—like you implied earlier."

He bursts out laughing. "God, you’re something else." It takes him a moment to calm down. "Listen, Cookie, I’m not her boyfriend. Or anyone’s, for that matter. I don’t do relationships. What happened between us was a one-time thing, and I was upfront about that. I already told you—I’m sorry for what I said. Can we pretend I wasn’t such an idiot?"

I frown. I don’t like how he talks about Tiffany. I might not be her biggest fan, but no girl deserves to be treated like she’s disposable.

"Maybe she has feelings for you, Liam," I say, my voice tinged with irritation. "Girls tend to catch feelings for guys like you pretty fast, you know?"

"Guys like me?" He sounds intrigued. "Care to explain?"

I open my mouth before realizing what I’m actually saying. "You know... the whole tall, dark, and handsome thing. The tattoos, the muscles, the bad boy allure—"

Oh. My. God.

I stop abruptly, mortified by my own words. But Liam doesn’t miss a beat.

"So," he teases, his voice smug, "you think I’m handsome? And dark? And mysterious? Geez, thanks, Cookie."

I groan internally. Kill me now.

His voice turns serious again. "Tiffany doesn’t care about me, Nataly. She doesn’t even know me. I was honest with her about what I could offer, and she was fine with it. I don’t play with people’s feelings. The only reason she suddenly acts interested now is because I ignored her today and paid attention to you—apparently, her biggest enemy."

I sigh, that familiar tightness twisting in my stomach. There it is again. Jealousy. Tiffany had been with Liam, and for some reason, that fact stings more than it should. But I have no right to feel this way. Liam only offered me friendship. I can’t let myself get caught up in something that’s not mine to have.

"Anyway," he says, pulling me from my thoughts, "mind telling me why she hates you so much?"

"I honestly have no idea," I admit. "We’ve known each other since kindergarten, but we never really interacted. Then, after my sister died, everything changed. At first, she just ignored me. But last year, she started picking fights, going out of her way to make my life miserable. When I had Criss, she never messed with me. But ever since I lost her, too, it’s like she’s made me her personal punching bag. And I just don’t have the energy to fight back anymore."